I almost forgot to mention that last month’s appearance at the Gong Show at Arlene’s Grocery actually got some attention from the New York Press, a weekly alternative newspaper.
For those unfamiliar with the original Gong Show, it was a televised talent show that ran in the 1970s and 80s with the main attraction being the giant gong that was hit to let crappy performers know it was time to get off stage. I was allowed to enter myself as a contestant, with my talent obviously being cooking and although I didn’t win the grand prize, the judges didn’t bang the gong, either!
I am mentioned briefly in the last paragraph.
There were also spring rolls going around the room made by Missy from the “italiaricankitchen.” The whole experience was pleasantly bizarre.
It’s only a blurb, but not a bad start.
events, news
I was at Disco Crisco Twister again last Sunday at Arlene’s Grocery handing out free samples of my kottonmouth kookies and pineapple inside-out spot cupcakes. The place was packed with people flooding through the doors for Disco Crisco Twister, a monthly event at Arlene’s where adults can unwind and play games like musical chairs (with a live band), sing that tune (with a DJ), pop culture trivia and Disco Crisco Twister, a more slippery version of the classic game. Disco Crisco Twister even has its own theme song which was performed by PuppetBox. No , I didn’t get to sing the theme song on stage, but I still had a great time.
I chose the pineapple inside-out spot cupcake because this month’s Disco Crisco Twister had a Hawaiian theme because they were holding a raffle with the prize being roundtrip airfare for two to Hawaii with seven nights hotel accommodation. Everyone was wearing plastic lays and enjoying the sweet pineapple taste and coconut shavings of my cupcakes. I had also planned to bake the kottonmouth kookies in honor of 4-20 before I knew about the Hawaii trip, so I decided to serve those too.
I’ve been coming to Disco Crisco Twister for about four months now, serving edible freebies to promote my catering services and blog, and am now officially “the resident Disco Crisco Twister chef”. Everyone asked me what was in my kottonmouth kookies. “It’s not what you think!” I replied. So many people asked me privately if there were any “special herbs” in the cookies. Give me a break, folks! If there were, I certainly wouldn’t be giving them away!
Much thanks to Dana Sterling, the founder of Disco Crisco Twister for letting me serve my food and participate in all the fun and games too. Arlene’s grocery is located at 95 Station Street (between Ludlow & Allen), in the Lower East Side at the 2nd Avenue station on the F line. Below are some pics from last Sunday’s event, as well as a pic of myself and this month’s co-host, Rich.
events
Serves 3-4 (two slices per person)
Nothing goes better with St. Patrick’s Day than beer, and nothing goes better with beer than the dry, sweet taste of Irish soda bread! Irish soda bread is easier to make than most people think, and there’s so many delicious ways to make it.
In New York, people (especially Irish-Americans) can get picky about their soda bread. Some argue that it’s only soda bread if it’s plain. If it has raisins in it, then it’s not soda bread, it’s something else. Personally I say, this is America, and Irish soda bread should have the freedom to be whatever it wants to be and still be called Irish soda bread. Some people put nuts and cranberries in their soda bread. If the topping tastes good to you, by all means, put it in the soda bread.
Irish soda bread was first invented in the 1840s when baking soda was first introduced to Ireland. Because Ireland’s climate isn’t good for growing hard wheat, baking soda replaced yeast as the ingredient that makes bread rise when baking. Traditionally, Irish soda bread has two long intersecting lines cut into the top that form a cross. Legend has it that the Irish did this to ward off evil. But as you can see from the photo above, I like to just slash three quick lines across and three more down on mine. In either case, the cuts are there to allow the air inside to escape easily so the bread can expand while baking and not explode. So whether you like to carve a cross, little xs, tic-tac-toe or even carve your initials into the bread, it really doesn’t matter as long as the cuts are there.
You will need:
- a measuring cup
- a large bowl
- a whisk
- a spatula
- a baking sheet
- a knife
- a tray or other large, flat surface that can be covered with flour, at least 10″ on each side
- a teaspoon
- a cooling rack
Ingredients:
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or wheat flour
- 1 3/4 cups cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons fine salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, chilled
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and lightly grease your baking sheet with a bit of unsalted butter. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cake flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the butter and, using your hands, work it into the flour mixture. Add buttermilk and stir with a spatula until the flour is moistened and takes on a sticky, doughy texture. Using your hands, scoop the dough out of the bowl and place it onto a flour-covered work surface and knead lightly for about 1 minute. Shape the dough into a ball before lightly flattening down the top until the dough takes on the shape of a flying saucer.
Using a sharp knife cut at least two quarter-inch-deep criss-crossing lines into the top of the dough before placing it on the center of the baking sheet. This will allow air from inside to escape so that the bread can expand without exploding. Bake for about one hour or until the bread is golden brown and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped lightly with your knuckles. Transfer the bread from the sheet to a cooling rack and let it cool completely before serving.
Don’t worry if your soda bread is too dry; that’s why God invented beer! If you’ve got the stomach for it, try your soda bread with a pint of Guinness.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
P.S. If you’d like to sample my Irish Soda bread and meet me, you can do both this Sunday, March 16 from 7 to 10pm at Arlene’s Grocery, 95 Stanton Street (between Orchard & Ludlow) in the Lower East Side, near the 2nd Ave. station on the F line.
bread, events, hors devours
In an effort to drum up publicity for this blog as well as my culinary career, I handed out free samples of my spinach pete last Sunday at Arlene’s Grocery the hottest bar in the Lower East Side. The place was packed with people flooding through the doors for Disco Crisco Twister, a monthly event at Arlene’s where adults can act like kids and play various games like musical chairs (with a live band), sing that tune (with a DJ), pop culture trivia and Disco Crisco Twister, a more slippery version of the classic game. Disco Crisco Twister even has its own theme song which was performed by Kindergarten, one of the two live bands who usually play for the event. The co-host Steph pulled me up on stage and we sang the theme song together!
This month’s theme for Disco Crisco was 2001: A Space Odyssey, which explains why my pete was awkwardly labeled “space cakes”, a confusing choice for a nickname considering that space cakes are the code name for marijuana-laced brownies. Thanks to the name a few idiots got the idea that the spinach in my pete was another (illegal) green plant, but I quickly corrected them. The bands played songs in between games, and everyone from the band to the bartenders loved the pete! I served the original three cheese pete (four if you count the grated parmesan sprinkled on top) as well as tofu version, both of which were eagerly gobbled up!
Much thanks to Dana Sterling, the founder of Disco Crisco Twister for letting me serve my food and participate in all the fun and games too. Arlene’s grocery is located at 95 Station Street (between Ludlow & Allen), in the Lower East Side at the 2nd Avenue station on the F line. The next Disco Crisco Twister will be held at Arlene’s Grocery on February 17 at 7 pm and the theme will be Valentine’s Day, so I will be handing out my famous besos, romantically-shaped chocolate chip cookies with naked Hershey’s kisses planted on top. Admission is $10, so come on down and meet me personally and better yet, sample my delicious besos. The cookies I mean!
events, hors devours, vegetarian
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